Break-in

The same night Ella entered the parlor again with a small torch in her hand and the screwdriver she had stolen from Roy. It wasn't hard to navigate the way to the Records as she knew them blindly. Thinking about that she wondered why the way to the same place seemed to be too long last night. Maybe he was hoping to trick her from remembering the way. Shaking her head at his constant 'precautions', she paused the moment she came face to face with the room.

Facepalming herself she muttered, "Shit!" forgot of this obvious detail to enter inside. Thinking of a way in, she tried to input her thumb in it, which clearly rejected that. She kicked the door in frustration, while glaring at that device menacingly. Wasn't this run by electricity? But Roy opened the door through the thumb yesterday, which meant it won't disarm itself if the switch is off. Turning back to the reception table she went through the drawers to find anyone's ID lying unconcerned. After a bit of searching she found an ID stacked in the bottom of one of the drawers as though purposely kept out of the sight which belonged to her friend, Daisy. Thanking the Lord and her friend who was unaware of the help she provided, she hurried up the stairs not caring the sound of her shoes tapping them, she entered the room.

Funnily she had prepared for breaking in the wall without breaking through the door! Within no time Ella loosened the screws from both sides of the wall and entered in after jerking it a bit. Any other person viewing her now would tell that she was idiot to push a wall like that, but she entered in to find the place was lit exactly the way they had left yesterday. Taking in the room she looked around to find a pillar in the center which was actually supporting the parlor from this side. Observing the interior, she pondered that the pillar was turned to a wall below, that could be why no one suspected there to be a pillar adjoining both the floors. This place was built by her ancestors, purposely.

Looking around she notices that the room still held the secrets in a maze as the books were displayed in there. Picking one of them she was shocked to read the title; rubbing her eyes she brought the torch to the book to confirm what she was looking.

"They read romance books here?" Ella said to herself in disbelief while reading the title again and again saying 'Pride and Prejudice'. Wanting to clear her doubts she kept that one in its place and picked out the other ones which followed, 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Persuasion', 'Seduction' and many alike which she hadn't heard of but was certain that they wrote romance and clichés, thereby transpiring Ella's thought at these choices.

"Didn't know you read romance." The voice made Ella jump and let go of the book she was inspecting if the contents were the same as the title spoke. Unconsciously her hand reached her heart in sudden surprise to turn to the man who was leaning his back in the middle of the door which balanced the weight in neither opening nor closing around.

After taking deep breaths, she spoke hoarsely, "Don't you other work than behaving like a ghost!"

"Currently you seem to be one." He squinted his eyes around to see a book lying on the floor, she followed his sight and picked it up to return the book to its place.

"What are you doing here like a thief? You wanted in here, you could have just asked."

"So you go through your middle-school uniform every time?" She taunted it as the screwdriver was hidden between the uniform and other stuffs he had kept in a carton box in the low end of his room's closet.

"I don't. I heard that the Mistress hadn't eaten her dinner tonight, in order to check on you I found the pillows to be taking your place." Roy replied while crossing his arms.

She returned her focus to the books and looked about for any other things, "I wasn't hungry."

"What are you searching Elle?"

"Why should I answer you? You never answer mine!"

"You are behaving like an immature again."

"Ah, immature in playing the game. You want it all to be like guessing and plotting out, but let me clear it Roy," she looked back to him continuing, "I'll play my games when I feel like playing, which isn't now."

"Since you can't answer my questions I have to go look for them on my own," Ella replied while looking through some papers which were rolled and tied along the book, 'The Art of Seduction'.

"It's all a hoax here." Roy started.

"I surmised that much, yes."

The room was silent with soft shuffling sound of Ella while looking through the different papers which had turned yellowish accompanied with constant staring of Roy to her every move.

"There are the records in this parlor which need most maintenance, hence the parlor is closed at 4. These archives are of too value to be left out in the vicinity of outsiders."

"What about the other activities?"

"You mean secret meetings, yes?" She nodded at him.

"If any of this is because of you Roy, I'm going to destroy you," Ella said indicating about the matters the corporation is facing. He took off from his position to get to her, eyes wandering around the papers she held arranging serially through dates. "Where are your belongings?" She was asking about the Faceless and his claim of her father being one of them.

Roy walked over to the books kept aligned as though searching for something to show her up. He walked the whole room, then stopped to look at Ella who was already observing him; he pointed to his forehead grinning, "Here."

Expecting her to be loosing her mind in anger, she was surprisingly calm. Well, two can play the game, he thought. His thoughts were disturbed when Ella turned away from him, engrossing herself in the notes and documents stored, which were some important agreements and treaties.

He waited but broke the silence first, "Won't you ask me or you have got too bored of it?" His voice sounded clear annoyance to which Ella bit her lips from smiling, she turned to face him innocently, "Ask what?"

If she was playing correctly, she would have him under her wraps in no time. The Faceless. Isn't that what you're here for?"

"I don't know. I might just enjoy these romance books and go through these treaties. They seem too interesting to miss. I never knew we had the copy of The Treaty of Paris."

"If you do want to tell me about the Faceless, I'm here. All night." Ella stated and went back to going through the contents of the papers, supporting her back on the pillar.

"You are behaving like you don't care," he said with evident anger thinking that she didn't believe him.

"You are behaving as if you do. Because if you did, you would tell me every goddamn detail of what you know right now."

"Fine! You talk about caring about the corporation, then do it your way," he spoke while pushing his hands in his track pockets. Noticing this action of his Ella looked away from his muscles which clearly showed through his shirt. Does he wear shirts as a nightdress? Shaking her head she concentrated back to the treaty while mentally thinking about scanning the book stand for any clues.

"Hmm. I've decided what to do." She folded the papers properly and looked at him, "I'll marry the prince."

"I must say you are the true queen. Who jeopardizes the kingdom just like your father," his taunt was not too far.

"You have better ideas? Will you marry him? The decision shall be made in a couple of hours now. Either contribute or leave Roy. What is the merit of keeping knowledge if you can't use it!"

"Mark had accepted the request of entering the Faceless by marrying you off."

"You said he was already a part of it."

"I said he was one of them, working for bringing the throne in there. He didn't accomplish when you left, that was why he was killed in betrayal. But I suppose you already figured that out."

Speculating something as a possibility and finally hearing the confirmation had two different prospects. He continued, "I never thought I would say this but I was glad you left. I wish you had trusted me to leave together."